Clutch mechanism



May 4 1926. 1,583,530

I D. 8. DE LAVAUD v CLUTCH MECHANISM Filed Jan. 28, 1922 r Inventor. 3??W JAM- Patented May 4, 1 926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- DIMITRI SENSAUD DE LAVAUD, 0F PARIS,FRAIN'CE.

' CLUTCH MEcH'ANIsM.

Application flled January 28, 1922. Serial No. 532,464.

To all ivhom it may concern: Be it known that I, DIMITRI' SENSAUD nnLAVAUD, a citizen of the United. States of to devise a mechanism whichwill maintain a constant operative contact between the driving anddriven members and will distribute the stress uniformly.

The principal feature of the invention consists in the novelconstruction and arrangement of clutch members, whereby a plurality ofroller members are individually rotatively supported between two pointsof contact one of which is an inclined surface and a cylindrical surfaceengages said rollers at a third point to rotate said rollers to effect abinding in one direction and to release in the opposite direction.

A further important feature consists in the arrangement of a pluralityof circular members to which vibratory impulses are applied inco-operation with a unitary member adapted to be driven thereby with acontinuous rotative movement through intermediary roller contacts. I

In thedrawings', Figure 1 is a cross sectional view through one unit ofthe device.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the multiplearrangement of the device.

Figures 3 "and 4 are enlarged sectional details of slightly modifiedstructures of the roller contact surface.

It has been known to form a clutch by the arrangement of roller membersbetween a smooth cylindrical surface and a member provided withtangential surfaces to wedge against the rollers and various methodshave been proposed to maintain the roller members in constant'contactwith the driving and driven members. The present invention proposes tomaintain the desired relation between the driving and driven members andthe roller intermediaries by the simple expedient of providing a thirdcontact point in fixed relation to each of the tangential sur faces toefiect a definite stop for the rollers during the non-clutchingmovements of the driving member.

In the application herein shown the shaft 1 has mounted upon it a drum 2which drum is formed with a plurality of longitudinally disposed planes3 which are arranged substantially tangential to a circle describedabout the axis. These planes are preferably separated by longitudinalgrooves or channels 4.

A plurality of ring-shaped members 5 encircle the drum 2 being spacedtherefrom, 'and Within the space between the drum and the rings arearranged a plurality of roller members 6. These roller members are soproportioned that they engage in physical contact with the outer ringsurface and the tangential surfaces are so arranged that the rollerseach engage the projecting edge 7 of the adjacent tangential surface. atthe intersection of said surface and the channel 4. It is of courseunderstood that the physical contact referred to allows theinterposition of a lubricating film.

The actual construction of the ribs formed by the planes 3 may be variedas indicated in Figure 3 but it will of course be necessary tosubstitute some limiting means to the free movement of the rollermembers so that they may be maintained in, a continuous contact with thetangentialand cylindrical contacting surfaces and in the modificationshown in Figure 4 the plane member is provided with radial grooves 8 andin these grooves are rigidly secured the radlal vanes 9 which engage theroller members.

Any desired number of the ring members 5 may be utilized in conjunctionwith the drum 2 and when a rotative movement is imparted'to these ringsthey carry the drum in rotative movement with them.

It will be readily seen that if an intermittent action is impartedto'the rotative ring, said ring will alternately grasp and rotate thedrum and allow the drum to run free, consequently if a vibratory backand forth rotative action is imparted to the ring the result will be acontinuous rotative action in the drum and when a plurality of suchrings are operated with vibrations of high frequency which vibrationsare out of step with the vibrations applied to adjacent or other rings aperfect continuous movement Oftll central rotated member will result.

In Figures 1, 2 and 4 the illustration shows the plane surfaced memberas being the central one but as illustrated in Figure 3 the planes maybe formed upon the outer memher if desired with a like result.

lVhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a clutch, a cylindrical surfacedmember, a member spaced from said cylindrical surfaced member and havinga continuous 1 succession of tangential surfaces, roller membersco-operating with each of said tangential surfaces and with thecylindrical surface, and means interposed between the longitudinalgrooves therein and tangential surfaces extending between the groovesthe acute angled meeting surfaces forming shoulders, and roller membershaving engagement with said shoulders and said tangential surfaces andheld in rolling contact With the cylindrical surface.

DIMITRI SEN SAUD DE LAVAUD.

